Uzhunnu Vada

Updated on March 25, 2020 By Shalini12 Comments - This post contains affiliate links which means if you use them to make a purchase, I'll earn enough money to maybe buy me a lil' something - an ingredient, probably.

Uzhunnu Vada is a popular snack in Kerala, South India. It is also called as Medu Vada in the North. Served along with Idli and Dosa for breakfast, Medu Vada is also a teatime snack. Honestly, like many South Indians, I do not feel my breakfast complete without this crunchy on the outside, soft in the inside lentil fritter.

Shaped like a doughnut, these are made of fermented Urad Dal/ Black gram lentil batter. And I will not dare to say that it is easy to make. Well, it is easy to prepare the batter. But getting the right consistency, making the doughnut shape and putting it in hot oil requires expertise. I have never tried making this before and Gosh! The first batch looked like a porcupine! No kidding! Thankfully, I had decided to make it along with Masala Dosa, a couple of days ago. With constant trial and error (oh, even my husband tried to make one and said the batter is just not right. Bleh :/ ), I mastered the art of Medu Vada Making.

Medu Vada Makers are available in stores and I guess, that should make our life easier. But I had tried to prepare from the scratch, without using one. This is more of a Kerala style recipe with the addition of shallots and curry leaves.

How to make Uzhunnu Vada at home

Soak Urad Dal overnight or at least five hours and grind it to a coarse paste without adding water. If you are using a mixer grinder to grind, you will have to use 1/4 cup of water. Let it ferment for Add chopped shallots, ginger, curry leaves and salt and mix well. Shape into a ball and make a hole in the center using your finger.

Shape again and carefully slip/dip in hot oil.

Fry on medium flame so that it gets cooked evenly. Do not fry many at a time. Do not overcrowd.

Tips for making a great Uzhunnu Vada at home

Chef says:

The batter should be thick. But since you are grinding using a mixer, you will have to add water so as to grind smoothly. What if the Medu Vada batter is watery? Add rice flour to thicken the mixture. This will also help in making the Vada crisp. However, do not add more rice flour as it will make the vada hard.

Adding chopped shallots and ginger enhances the taste.

Grinding the batter in a regular stone pestle or wet grinder gives in better results. It yields in a soft Medu Vada. However, if you are using a mixer grinder like me, mix the batter well with your hand for about ten minutes – like you do for an Idli batter. It will help in making the batter airy and fluffy, helping for easier fermentation.

About Shalini

Namaste! I'm Shalini, the blogger behind Something's Cooking(since 2014). I share only our best, family approved recipes with YOU because I've tried and tested every recipe published on this blog. You can find easy Keto, low-carb recipes, and authentic Indian recipes including South Indian (Kerala) foods. You can rest assured that Indian cooking will be made easy. Thanks for stopping by! I'm so happy you're here.

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Comments

I love it and so do the kids. Urad dal vada is one of the few things I do pretty well except of course I don’t make the doughnut shape – just small rounds. I find that’s better for the children because they can handle the bit sized servings better. They make for great finger food. I’ll go and soak the dal right away.

Visiting your blog is always a treat, Shalini. I visually indulge myself on your gorgeous pics and always learn something new when I am here, like I learnt about rice flour today. I love making Medu Vadas but never get the shape right. Let me use your recipe and give it a go once more.

I’ve been following – and have signed up to receivd updated – since you started. I suddenly realised that I’ve never left you a comment, which is hugely bad manners. I’m loving the recipes, they take me bad to my childhood in India and I’m particularly loving the way you’ve designed your blog to produce recipe cards. Fanastic! I’ll enjoy keeping up to date with your recipes even after the Challenge is over.

And whilst I’m not a novice cook, I’ve little to no experience in cooking this type of food (my mother was the expert and we always fought in the kitchen), so it gives me great heart to read of your experiences and encouragement to try on my own with your advice. Thank you!

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Hey there, I'm Shalini, food blogger and aspiring YouTuber. I live in the beautiful land of India and in my blog you can find authentic Indian recipes. I'm a Keto enthusiast and here you will also find ketogenic diet recipes for beginners.